Method for separating neon from gases with which it is mixed.



G. CLAUDE.

METHOD FOR SEPARATING NEON FROM GASES WITH WHICH IT IS MIXED.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1913.

Patented July 18, I916.

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Gnonens CLAUDE, or BouLoGnn-sUn-smnn, FRANCE.

ME' I.'H(JD FOR SEPABATING NEON FROM GASES WTTH WHICH IT IS MICXED.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11.8, 1916.

Application filed June 17, 1913. semi no. 774,265.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnonens CLAUDE, a citizen of the Republic of France, and resident of l l Boulevard dAuteuil, Boulogne- Bur-Seine, France, have invented a new and useful Method for Separating Neon from Gases with which It is Mixed, which is fully set forth in the following specification.

It has been found that if a closed vessel provided with electrodes of carbon or of a metal such as iron, copper, etc, contains rarefied gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, helium, etc., the said gases are absorbed comparatively quickly if a prolonged electric discharge is caused to pass between the elec-' trodes. l have found however that, by way of exception, when the atmosphere of the inclosure is constituted by neon, the absorption of the said gas is considerably more slow, with the equal degree of rarefaction,

- than in the other cases and the smaller, the

greater the surface of the electrodes.

This invention relates to a process for purifying the neon from the gases with which it is mixed,'basedon the above mentioned phenomena.

It must in fact follow from the preceding, and it has been observed in reality that, if the mixture of neon with foreign gases is introduced into a closed vessel at a pressure varying between '0 and 10 millimeters of mercury and if an electric discharge is then caused to pass in a prolonged manner through the electrodes, the foreign gases are absorbed more quickly than the neon, so that the latter finally remains in a state of purity, or at least in conditions of suilicient purity to be alone visible-sometimes with hydrogen or argon if they were ,contained in the mixture-in the spectrum obtained with the residual gas.

.Inbrder to facilitate the purification, it may be advisable first 'of all to remove from. the electrodes and the walls of the vessel or inclosure occluded gases which would useles'sly dilute the atmosphere to be purified.

To that end, avacuum is previously pro-' duced in the vessel or inclosure, and at the same time acurrent sent through. lhis may be carried even farther by flushing the inclosure two or three times with the gaseous mixture itselfv which it is desired to purify, each flushing being followed bythe action of the vacuum pump and of the current.- For the'quickness of absorption of the foreign gases, it may be also advisable to interticable minimum any absorption of the neon,

thereby correspondingly guarding against losses of neon. Appropriate dimensions of the superficial area of the electrodes per ampere of current employed are given in my application referred to, the minimum surface area being 1.5 square decimeters per ampere. I have indicated at m and wrap propriate branches from the tube suitable for connection with the vacuum pump, and for the supply of neon respectively, and which may be ultimately sealed off as shown. lhe process is more particularly applicable when the purified neon obtained is to be utilized in a rarefied state and in the inclosure in which it has been obtained. It is more particularly the case when it is desired to obtain rarefied atmospheres extremely permeable to electric discharge,

which, as is known, is one of the most remarkable characteristic features of the neon helium, although it is question of two gases 7.

which are chemically both equally neutral, and the method of absorbing by carbon at the temperature of the liquid air could no longer separate them, because helium is still less absorbable by the carbon than the neon.

.What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The method of obtaining neon purified from nitrogen, oxygen, helium, etc, in a closed receptacle, provided with electrodes contained therein, which comprises 'establishing within the-receptaclea highly rarefied atmosphere containing neon, and passing an electric discharge between the electrodes, said discharge being continued until the impurities have been removed from the neon to such an extent that they will be practically invisible in the spectrum obtainable from the residual gas.

2. The method of obtaining neonpurified from nitrogen, oxygen, helium, etc., in a closed receptacle containing electrodes having a surface large enough to practically avoid absorption of neon during operation, which comprises establishing within the receptacle a highly rarefied atmosphere con taining neon, and passing an electric discharge between the electrodes, said discharge being continued until the impurities have been removed from the neon to such an extent that they will be practically invisible in the spectrum obtainable from the residual gas,

3. The method of obtaining neon purified from nitrogen, oxygen, helium, etc;, in a closed receptacle, provided with electrodes contained therein, which comprises preliminarily expelling the occluded gases from the walls of the receptacle and from the electrodes, by creating a partial vacuum in the receptacle, and at the same time passing an electric discharge therethrough, then admitting into the receptacle a highly rarefied atmosphere containing neon, and passing an electric discharge between the electrodes, said discharge being continued'until the impuritieshave been removed from the neon to such an extent that they will be practically invisible in the spectrum obtainable from the residual gas. t 1 ,4. The method of obtaining neon purified from nitrogen, oxygen, helium, etc., in a closed receptacle, provided with electrodes contained therein, which comprises reliminarily expelling the occluded gases rom the walls of thereceptacle and from the electrodes, by creating a partial'vacuum in the electric discharge therethrough, then purging the receptacle by passing therethrough a quantity of the neon gas atmosphere to be purified, again creating a partial vacuum in the receptacle and at the same time passing an electric discharge therethrough, and so on, tically removed and finally passing an electric discharge between the electrodes for a period suificiently long to remove practically all of the impurities to such an extent that they will be practically invisible in the spectrum obtainable from the residual gas.

5. The method of obtaining neon purified from nitrogen, oxygen, helium, etc., which comprises confining such gases, together with a substancecoacting with the impurities, within a receptacle from which atmospheric air has been to a great extent removed, and passing therethrough an electric discharge until the impurities have been removed from the neon to such an extent that they will be practically invisible in the spectrum obtainable from the residual gas.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGES CLAUDE.

Witnesses EMILE- LEDRET, LUomN MEMMINGER.

' receptacle, and at the same time passing an until the occluded gases have been prac- 

